Unintended Immortality-Chapter 369: Heading Straight for Mount Ye

“That one...” Song You asked, still looking ahead. “Is it the marsh dragon from Yuezhou you’re searching for?”

“Currently, within the territory of the Great Yan, there is almost only one species of marsh dragon remaining, and this one clearly looks different,” came a gentle and composed voice from beside him. It was quite soft. “Aside from the one in Yuezhou, I doubt any other lineage of marsh dragons this large still exists. However, my acquaintance from Yuezhou is not this one. As you’ve surely noticed, it has never met me, nor I it.”

“Although we and the Yuezhou marsh dragons both lived in Yuezhou and both originated from ancient great demons, we were not particularly close and rarely interacted,” added the maid from behind the woman, her voice low to avoid being overheard by the boatman. “Among the surviving great demons of the marsh dragons, we only know one personally. We’re unfamiliar with the others.”

She then chuckled softly, a mischievous glint in her eye. “That said, judging by the behavior of this giant marsh dragon, it must be from Yuezhou. Aggressive, but not excessively vicious. Foolish, but not reckless. Cold, yet not bloodthirsty. If I had to guess, it’s because those who were truly vicious, reckless, and bloodthirsty didn’t survive long enough to pass on their lineage.”

The 𝘮ost uptodat𝑒 novels are pub𝙡ished on freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

“I've heard that there are many great demons among the Yuezhou marsh dragons?”

“Though it’s now the age of humanity’s dominance, the marsh dragons, having originated in ancient times, still retains some foundation,” Miss Wanjiang said calmly.

“And what about the white rhinoceroses? Aside from the lunatic White Bull King, aren’t there other great demons among them?”

The maid chimed in. “Now they’ve been blacklisted by the Heavenly Palace and are marked for extermination.”

“If we’re counting, our kind has fallen the hardest,” Wanjiang said with a faint smile.

“It’s all a matter of time,” the maid replied. “They’ve just lasted a little longer. The Heavenly Dao has changed—no amount of foundation can withstand the erosion of time.”

“Is this your way of comforting yourselves?”

“...”

“...”

Song You felt satisfied but kept his face expressionless, withdrawing his gaze and turning back toward the horizon. He said softly, “Could the Yuezhou marsh dragons' appearance here mean they’re going to seek out the State Preceptor?”

“I don’t know if they’re seeking him out,” Miss Wanjiang replied. “But if I were to guess, that’s probably the case.”

“The rise of the underworld is an inevitable trend, on par with the consolidation of the Heavenly Palace back then. It presents tremendous opportunities,” the maid added with a smile. “This is the Mortal Dao’s world now, and the Heavenly Palace watches over it. As reckless as the marsh dragons may be, they wouldn’t think of using brute force to seize anything during this shift. How they’ve negotiated with the State Preceptor is something only he could answer.”

“And you two—are you also heading to Mount Ye for this great opportunity?”

“We’ve already explained to you, Daoist Master,” the maid replied first this time. “We’re just passing through, visiting the Princess in Yangzhou and taking the opportunity to check in on some old acquaintances. Why is it, after traveling together for ten days, that you still don’t believe us?”

“The habits of the marsh dragons are different from foxes,” Miss Wanjiang said. “For the marsh dragons, if they cannot ascend as heavenly deities, serving as guardians of the underworld is still an acceptable outcome. They can stay in one place without moving for many years. But for foxes, the underworld is like a cage. Rest assured, Daoist Master—after spending ten years in one prison, I certainly won’t willingly enter another, even longer one.”

She turned to him and gracefully bowed.

“I assure you, every word I’ve said is the truth.”

“If it’s a visit to old acquaintances, why didn’t you say a word to the fellow demon you just encountered?” Song You asked.

“I still wish to travel with you a little longer—at least until we reach the commandery capital,” Wanjiang replied with a smile.

“Besides, that giant marsh dragon was so rude. It offended you, and we don’t even know if you might end up fighting it. Who knows? You might slice it up!” The maid continued with a playful smirk. “How could we jump out and acknowledge it as an acquaintance at a time like this? What if we miss out on the show?”

“...”

Song You said nothing, feeling it was pointless to respond.

Ahead, an ancient ferry dock came into view.

The stone steps lining the riverbank were mossy and dark green, nearly black. However, part of the dock was broken, with the exposed edges of the stone still relatively fresh, suggesting it hadn’t been damaged for long.

“What happened to this dock?”

“I... I don’t know,” the boatman stammered.

“Do you know when it was damaged?” Song You pressed.

“Maybe two or three months ago?” The boatman, who held deep respect for the Daoist after witnessing him confront the marsh dragon, answered truthfully. Though unsure of the Daoist’s exact abilities, he could tell this was no ordinary figure. “But since I rarely pick up passengers here, I can’t say for sure when it happened.”

“Thank you,” Song You said.

“This is the ferry dock for Zi Commandery,” the boatman announced.

“Please dock here. We’ll disembark,” Song You instructed. “And one more question—how long would it take to find another boat to leave from here?”

“Ah, I can’t guarantee that, sir,” the boatman replied, looking troubled. “There are times when many boats are on this river and times when there are few—it depends on the season. Boatmen vary in their diligence, and the passengers they take on may travel far or near. They simply follow the passengers' destinations, with no fixed routes, picking up and dropping off wherever they go.

“Usually, though, within two or three days, you’re bound to see a boat. If you stand here by the dock, most boatmen with available space will stop by to ask if you need a ride.”

He hesitated, looking conflicted, before finally asking, “Sir... could you be an immortal?”

“I’m just a Daoist,” Song You replied.

“Then you must surely be a true Daoist spiritual master from a famous mountain!” the boatman exclaimed, pausing briefly. “Daoist Master, when might you depart? Without you here today, we would likely have been capsized by that water dragon. I will calculate the time and come here to pick you up. I can wait here to ferry you again, even for a few days, as a gesture of gratitude for saving my life.”

“If the boat had been overturned by the marsh dragon, I would’ve gotten wet as well,” Song You replied with a light smile. “Besides, as someone who makes a living on the water, you must be skilled in swimming. Hardly a life-saving act on my part. Furthermore, I don’t know when I’ll leave, nor if I’ll even return the same way. And if I do, it won’t be for many days. I was only asking out of curiosity.

“I acknowledge your kindness, whether out of goodwill or gratitude. We’ll part ways here, and I won’t delay you from earning a living.”

Hearing this, the boatman exclaimed, “Ah! You must truly be an immortal!”

He quickly cupped his hands, then resumed rowing, carefully maneuvering the boat toward the dock.

“Daoist Master, may your journey be smooth!” he called out as Song You stepped ashore.

“And may you take care,” Song You replied, returning the gesture.

The calico cat walked to the edge of the boat, glanced down, and, after a brief pause, leapt gracefully onto the dock. The jujube-red horse followed, stepping onto land as effortlessly as if it were still on the boat.

Song You’s eyes lingered on the broken section of the dock.

The boatman slowly rowed away from the shore.

“It looks like something stepped on it and broke it,” came Miss Wanjiang’s voice from behind him.

“These brutes really have no manners,” the maid said with a mischievous smile, her tone as if she herself had not come from Yuezhou. “They flee to the heart of Great Yan yet still act as though they’re in Yuezhou.”

“And how do you two plan to travel?” Song You turned to them, unexpectedly extending an invitation. “Would you like to go to Mount Ye together?”

“Daoist Master, you made a valid point earlier—Mount Ye is remote and tied to the matters of the underworld. As a demon, even though I can conceal my demonic aura, it is ultimately not ideal for me to go,” Miss Wanjiang said with a smile, bowing gracefully in a show of impeccable manners. “Since I have no designs on the underworld, it’s better to avoid going there to prevent any unnecessary misunderstandings should the State Preceptor or other deities take notice.”

“If you don't want us to go to Mount Ye, how could we dare to disobey?” the maid added, shaking her head.

“Are you two truly not going?”

“If you extend a sincere invitation, I’ll go,” Wanjiang replied.

“And if you suddenly change your mind and insist on taking us along for peace of mind, we would have no choice but to comply,” the maid said with a bow. “My mistress holds great admiration for you. Having known each other for years and traveled together this far, surely, you’re well aware of her sentiments. How could she go against your wishes? Besides, as a disciple of Hidden Dragon Temple, how could we possibly oppose you?”

“...”

Song You found their words amusing.

Sometimes he thought they spoke the truth with one mouth and lied with another. Other times, it seemed reversed. The one usually speaking the truth was responsible for maintaining decorum and etiquette, while the one usually telling lies was tasked with expressing their true personality and thoughts directly.

But after ten days and a thousand li of travel with these foxes, Song You had grown accustomed to their teasing and could easily tune it out.

“Do as you please,” he said at last.

“Then I’ll accompany you a little farther—to the commandery capital—before we part ways,” Wanjiang said. “After that, while you head to Mount Ye and Yinnan for your business, we will remain in the capital to await our old acquaintance from the Yuezhou marsh dragons.”

“Yuezhou has fallen, and the world is vast,” the maid added with a smile from behind her mistress. “Though demons live long lives, this meeting might very well be the last we have with that old friend.”

“And how will you meet him?” Song You asked.

“Unlike humans, demons—especially old acquaintances—leave lasting impressions on one another. As long as we stop hiding our aura, he can sense us from tens of li away, if not more,” Wanjiang explained. “If we deliberately release our demonic energy, he will sense it. If our friend is still in Zi Commandery, he will surely come to meet us.”

“Exactly,” the maid said with a wide grin. “I’m looking forward to it.”

“And after meeting him?” Song You asked.

“We might wait for you in Zi Commandery for a few days. If it’s convenient, we’ll travel another few hundred li with you,” Wanjiang said with a courteous bow.

“Better yet, we’ll wait for you in Zi Commandery and leave together when you return. That way, everyone is happy—you and us.” The maid grinned mischievously, glancing at the cat. “After all, Lady Calico will get her daily bowl of cold thin porridge—though now it’s only half a bowl. Surely she’ll be happy too, won’t she?”

“Do as you wish,” Song You replied, already stepping forward.

The cat paused where it stood, turning to stare at the two women for a moment before suddenly sprinting ahead, catching up with its Daoist priest. Then, taking the lead, it walked in front of him, occasionally glancing back to study the two women.

Without their carriage, the two women seemed perfectly at ease, like a noble lady from Changjing out on a spring excursion with her maid. They walked leisurely, enjoying the spring scenery along the roadside.

It was already early February.

The weather was warm, wildflowers were blooming, and even weeds and wildflowers had begun creeping into the road. Tiny butterflies flitted about, and the maid occasionally reached out to catch one—sometimes to tease the cat, other times to show her mistress with a playful grin. To an outsider, they would indeed seem like a genuine mistress and servant.

The road was sparsely traveled, flanked by desolate mountains. Occasionally, there were large depressions in the ground, resembling footprints left by some massive creature. If spotted by others, it would surely spark new legends.

Before nightfall, the group reached the commandery capital.

The city was primitive and quiet, with only a single inn. Fortunately, it provided a place to shelter from the wind and rain. Song You stayed the night and, early the next morning, prepared to leave.

His next destination: straight to Mount Ye.